We need another running back

[PatsChamp88]

Yup, that'll fix all our problems.

Who do you think you are

 

[fumbrunner]

I didn't quote his career YPC. Since you can't be bothered with actually reading my posts, I will no longer read any of yours.

My apologies, misread your post. Regardless, you take away the first carry of the game he had 5 carries for 11 yards. Sure, you look at the whole game and his average is what you stated. Both you and I know that stating the average without context is misleading. Averaging 2 yds per carry, as we saw today, won't do much. Last year's game, rushing or otherwise, was quite similar to this one actually.

 

[JMarr]

I see that Crowell33 and some of the other anti-Maroney extremists [PatsInThe Snow excepted] are curiously absent from this thread. Hmm......I wonder if the enormity of the foolishness they were spouting about BJGE vs. Maroney has finally dawned on them?

 

[VJCPatriot]

The offensive playcalling was awful in the 2nd half. Just about every 1st down I could predict the Pats would call an uninspired run up the middle to be stuffed for no gain or a small loss. That meant the offense essentially only had 2 downs to convert a first because one of them would always be wasted in that highly predictable manner. That puts a lot of pressure on an offense to execute. And the Pats were in enemy territory so the crowd noise factor was against our team as well.

Let's not put all the blame on just the offense either. The defense started looking porous at the end of the first half. And that continued into the second half. Butler couldn't cover his own shadow. And there were other plays made against another guy in the red zone - #32. There was not enough pressure to force Sanchez to throw early, he was in rhythm the entire rest of the game. Add in a few phantom penalties called against our defense and it led to a few easy scores for the Jets offense from the short field position.

This team has a lot of WORK in the film room to do. And the coaches need to come up with better game plans and halftime adjustments.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

This team doesn't need another running back.

Does everyone forget 2003? We won a Superbowl with Antowain Smith and a running game that I believe had the worst yards-per-carry in the entire league that year.

I am fine with Taylor, Morris, Law Firm, and Faulk. The issue is simply remaining committed to the run, and keeping the defense guessing.

 

[Deus Irae]

Taylor had that long run from the getgo, and even though it was called be by an undisciplined penalty, it made the Jets take notice that the Pats could run. Even after that run, there were a couple more good ones, setting up the ideal opportunity for play action calls, deep crossing, deep post, even a screen, tight end slants.. but non of those happened.

Those are mistakes and lack of opportunity taken by offenbsive coordinator, and Belichick, who probably had a scripted 10-20 plays and they stuck with it for 13.52 if the first quarter and came away with zero points because of their stubborness. Painfully stupid and ignorant.

They came away with zero points in the first quarter because:

1.) Moss dropped a touchdown pass

2.) Special teams didn't snap the ball off in time on a successful 32 yard kick

3.) Ghost missed a 37 yard FG attempt after making the one from 32 yards.


"Stubborn" play calling by the offensive coordinator had absolutely nothing to do with it. When the Patriots got the ball for their second drive, it started in the first quarter and ended in the second quarter. It ended with a touchdown.

 

[ScrewDrvr]

does anyone know what actually happened with Taylor? Did he get hurt and was taken out as a precaution or something? I dont think he was in the 2,3, or 4th quarter.

Surely they didn't think Green-ellis, Morris, and Faulk where better candidates to RUN the ball.... or so I hope.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

This team doesn't need another running back.

Does everyone forget 2003? We won a Superbowl with Antowain Smith and a running game that I believe had the worst yards-per-carry in the entire league that year.

Are you going to try to tell me that a good running game isn't necessary to win a superbowl? Just because the 03 pats took it all without a good RB doesn't mean it's not necessary to have one. Out of all the superbowls won, most of the teams had a decent running game. We will have a much better chance at winning if we can get a talented RB. Out current crew of backs just arent that good. They aren't bad, but they aren't good.

BTW, Antowain Smith wasn't old.

 

[DaBruinz]

Either is Moss. And, that my fellow Pats fan, is the problem. Brady and the OC going for long ball when short ball wins with this team. It's completely baffling.

The run game is NOT THE PROBLEM. Play calling in the second half is. Plus - Darius Butler has been exposed as a fraud tonight. Here's to hoping the kid turns it around - but he was beyond suck today.

The running game is A problem. If you can't figure that out, then you are worse than your ridiculous claims about Butler.

Butler wasn't exposed as a fraud. He was exposed as the #2 CB who was left on an island to deal with a very good receiver. He had no help from the Safeties. Which made things worse. But just continue to harp on it like you have a clue when it's clear you don't.

 

[DaBruinz]

They seem to block all right for Faulk. He could be our best running back right now.

No they don't. That's the problem. Faulk gets the ball on draw plays and pretty much nothing else. When it comes to running the ball any other way, they are horrid. Seriously, did you even watch the game? If you did, you'd know that the run blocking was horribly inconsistent even for Faulk..

 

[DaBruinz]

Yeah, because we have seen soooo much of this in the past couple years. Seriously Deus, you gotta lose the hard on for Maroney.

Actually we saw plenty last year when Offense actually ran the ball. People like yourself need to realize that your hatred for Maroney was unjustified and that this team is in poorer shape without him.

But, even with him here, the run blocking continues to be wildly inconsistent. As it has been for the previous 2 years as well. This is something that I pointed out back in 2008 and again last year. And people ignored when BB brought it up.

Is that the ONLY problem on the offense? No. It's not. Another problem is the O'Brien/Brady relationship. There is one of two problem that I can see, having just thought of the 2nd one.

1) For whatever reason, O'Brien either can't or wont get Brady off this deep pass to Moss garbage when the Pats get behind and the offense becomes extremely one dimensional.

OR

2) Brady is running the plays as they are called in to him by O'Brien and O'Brien is just clueless as to how to implement the tactics to set the offense up to succeed.


Either way, there is no reason for this offense to be laying goose eggs for 2 quarters. This offense, with the weapons it has, should always be rotating receivers on and off the field to create mismatches and getting the ball into the hands of different receivers. That is how Brady and this offense were successful in 2003 and 2004.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Are you going to try to tell me that a good running game isn't necessary to win a superbowl? Just because the 03 pats took it all without a good RB doesn't mean it's not necessary to have one. Out of all the superbowls won, most of the teams had a decent running game. We will have a much better chance at winning if we can get a talented RB. Out current crew of backs just arent that good. They aren't bad, but they aren't good.

BTW, Antowain Smith wasn't old.

I'm telling you that we don't need another running back. The 4 we have are good enough to win a championship, and we already won a championship with the worst rushing offense in the league once.

This is similar to the threads last year saying we needed better tight ends or a better 3rd receiver. They are all excuses that losers make.

The offense of this team is completely loaded at talent.

The issue isn't that we need a better running back (or TE, 3rd WR, etc). The issue is that through the past 18 games, this offense has a serious problem in the 2nd half of games, and it has nothing to do with lack of talent.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm telling you that we don't need another running back. The 4 we have are good enough to win a championship, and we already won a championship with the worst rushing offense in the league once.

This is similar to the threads last year saying we needed better tight ends or a better 3rd receiver. They are all excuses that losers make.

The offense of this team is completely loaded at talent.

The issue isn't that we need a better running back (or TE, 3rd WR, etc). The issue is that through the past 18 games, this offense has a serious problem in the 2nd half of games, and it has nothing to do with lack of talent.

Teams have won with weak players at pretty much every position, so someone can always say "You don't need to be better at position X, you can win without it". Pointing to "won Super Bowls" really shouldn't be looked at as a particularly impressive argument when evaluating a team internally.* It's an argument worth making along with others, but not strong enough to stand on its own, IMO.


*For the sake of clarity, 'internally' in this case means 'by Patriots fans, for Patriots fans'.

 

[JMarr]

Who do you think you are

Mr. Bigstuff??

 

[ausbacker]

I'm telling you that we don't need another running back. The 4 we have are good enough to win a championship, and we already won a championship with the worst rushing offense in the league once.

This is similar to the threads last year saying we needed better tight ends or a better 3rd receiver. They are all excuses that losers make.

The offense of this team is completely loaded at talent.

The issue isn't that we need a better running back (or TE, 3rd WR, etc). The issue is that through the past 18 games, this offense has a serious problem in the 2nd half of games, and it has nothing to do with lack of talent.

You're right. We don't "need" another running back... but I'd feel a hell of a lot safer if we had a power feature back made of energon.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I'm tired of hearing the same lazy statements that this team lacks [x] player on offense in order to make it work.

The talent on this offense is completely stacked. The excuses from last year about the tight ends and 3rd receiver are gone.

The REAL problem of this team is that it plays much worse in the 2nd half of games, especially the offense, and this has been going on for at least 18 games now. This REAL problem with 2nd half performance, has nothing to do with the talent level at any offensive position.

 

[captain stone]

Mr. Bigstuff??

Reply of the Day candidate.

As for the OP, relying on injury-prone, AARP card-carriers to stay healthy & effective, and a JAG to metamorph into starting-calibre, is a fool's errand.

RBs drafted since 2002:

2010 - 0
2009 - 0
2008 - 0 (BJGE signed as UDFA)
2007 - Justice Hairston
2006 - LaMa
2005 - 0
2004 - Cedric Cobbs
2003 - 0
2002 - Antwoine Womack

That record is disgraceful & unacceptable.

And for crap's sake, get a goddamn FB on this team.

 

[vyrago]

Law Firm will suffice if he can lower his shoulder. I'm with everyone putting the blame on Butler. He's a nickelback at best, he can't cover by the sidelines without getting penalties.

Well he doesn't do it now, but he could be a very good db in the future. These guys are very young. Was Ty Law a top of the line db when he was a pup?